At a Glance
- Manchester United starlet is shining
- Could be the Red Devils’ answer to Max Dowman
- Arsenal’s wonderkid became a record-breaker
Arsenal prodigy Max Dowman grabbed the headlines at the weekend, netting against Everton to become the youngest-ever Premier League goalscorer.
But while Dowman was soaking up the plaudits, a 15-year-old Manchester United academy forward has been running riot in the U18S, scoring with remarkable consistency and showing he might be the next big thing at Carrington.
Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, better known as JJ Gabriel, has been tearing apart the U18 Premier League, netting 18 goals in 19 games to make him the division’s top scorer.
The second-highest 15-year-old is Liverpool’s Joshua Abe, who has scored just eight times.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Manchester United see Gabriel as a true academy “gem” and are already tipping him as “the next big thing” for the club.
JJ’s career so far
Born to an Irish father and Cypriot mother, Gabriel gained widespread fame after a viral YouTube video earned him the nickname “Kid Messi.”
In 2022, Gabriel joined Manchester United’s youth academy, and on 5 April 2025, 14-year-old JJ Gabriel became the youngest-ever player for Manchester United’s U18 team, scoring twice on his U18 Premier League debut against Leeds United.
Since then, Gabriel has continued to turn heads at Carrington, finding the net regularly for the U18S and impressing coaches with his composure, movement, and maturity well beyond his years.
| Competition | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes played |
| U18 Premier League | 22 | 21 | 3 | 1700 |
| FA Youth Cup | 3 | 2 | 0 | 294 |
| Total | 25 | 23 | 3 | 1994 |
With just under 2,000 minutes already under his belt, Gabriel has been directly involved in 26 goals—averaging a goal contribution every 77 minutes.
Notably, he has already netted two hat-tricks this season: first against Derby on 30 August, and then in a 7‑0 demolition of rivals Liverpool on 29 November.
The road ahead
Manchester United will be desperate to keep hold of the youngster, but he is already on the radar of Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona, setting up a potential battle for his signature.
The comparison with Dowman is stark: the Arsenal teenager contributed to 20 goals last season—yet Gabriel, at just 15, is already surpassing that output.
With Gabriel’s 16th birthday on 5 October, the 15-year-old has until 19 December to score in the Premier League—a chance not only to make history but to edge past Dowman as the youngest scorer in the competition’s history.
